Tributes, prepare for a return to the arena. Lionsgate has officially announced the first major casting for its highly anticipated prequel film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Relative newcomer Joseph Zada has landed the coveted part of a young Haymitch Abernathy, the District 12 tribute who survives the brutal Second Quarter Quell decades before becoming the cynical mentor to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the main series. Starring opposite him as Haymitch’s girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird, is Whitney Peak. Peak is already familiar to audiences from her starring roles in the Gossip Girl reboot and Disney+’s Hocus Pocus 2. Zada, an Australian actor, is poised for a breakout year with roles in the upcoming Prime Video series We Were Liars and Netflix’s East of Eden.
“The Hunger Games franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire,” Erin Westerman, co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, stated in the announcement. “After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out — not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles. Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem. We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
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“Deb Zane and Dylan Jury oversaw an exhaustive (and exhausting!) search to find a young actor with the skill and imagination to embody young Haymitch,” producer Nina Jacobson elaborated on the rigorous casting process. “Jo prepared like crazy and stole our hearts. Then Whitney took our breath away as Lenore Dove. When we put the two of them together, it was one of those magical casting moments when you know your search has led you home.” The selection of Zada, less known than some fan-casting favorites, suggests Lionsgate is continuing the franchise’s tradition of elevating emerging talent for its central roles.
Everything We Know About The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping plunges audiences back into the dark history of Panem, focusing squarely on the 50th Hunger Games, also known grimly as the Second Quarter Quell. This event takes place 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as a tribute and a full 40 years after the events depicted in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The film adapts Suzanne Collins’ novel of the same name, which chronicles the harrowing experiences of a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy as he is forced to compete. This particular Quarter Quell carries a vicious twist mandated by the Capitol: each District must send double the usual number of tributes, meaning Haymitch enters an arena not with 23 other competitors, but with 47.
Sunrise on the Reaping promises to delve into the psychological toll and trauma inflicted by the Games, revealing how the resourceful but ultimately scarred young man became the jaded mentor audiences met in the main Hunger Games movies. The prequel also features other key figures from District 12’s past, including Maysilee Donner, the original owner of the Mockingjay pin later worn by Katniss. Themes of propaganda, political manipulation, the consequences of war, and the nature of resistance under totalitarian control are expected to be central.
Ensuring continuity with the established Hunger Games cinematic world, Francis Lawrence, who directed every film since Catching Fire, returns to helm Sunrise on the Reaping. The screenplay is penned by Billy Ray, who contributed to the script for the first Hunger Games film. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson of Color Force, producers on all previous installments, are also back, alongside executive producer Cameron MacConomy. This consistent creative team signals a commitment to maintaining the visual and thematic tone that has defined the blockbuster franchise, which has already grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.
What are your thoughts on Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak being cast as young Haymitch and Lenore? Let us know in the comments!
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